Tubing test tools



April 17, 1956 A. VAUGHN TUBING TEST TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June30, 1952 J Wm M V W? 0 e W A w April 17, 1956 VAUGHN 2,742,093

TUBING TEST TOOLS Filed June 50, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/fr'ec/ VOU7/7/7INVENTOR.

My V- M D ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,742,093 TUBING TEST TooLsAlfred Vaughn, Shreveport, La., assignor to Tri-State Oil Tool Company,Inc., Shreveport, La., 2 corporation of Louisiana Application June 30,1952, Serial No. 296,353 14 Claims. c1. 166-,-224) This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in tubing test tools. Whenrunning squeeze packers, retainers, and the like into wells, longlengths of tubing are required to lower such tools from the well surfaceto the desired depth in the well bore. After the tool has beenpositioned in the well, fluid under pressure is conveyed through thetubing to the tool to perform the cement or plastic squeezing,acidizing, sand or hydrafracing, or other similar pressure operationsand thereafter the tubing functions as the production string to conductthe well fluids to the surface. If one or more of the stands or lengthsof tubing is defective, there is a danger of rupturing same underthepressure operations, with the result that fluid under pressure is lostat the point of rupture and it beeo'me snecessary to remove the tubinguntil the defective length, of tubing is located for replacement. Suchprocedureobviously results in loss of materialsand time,

and presents a constant hazard to the well operator.

lt is therefore an ob ect of this invention to provide a tubing whereineach stand or length of tubing, 01" a pluralit y of such stands orlengths, may be tested as added t'o the tubing string during thelowering of a well pressure tool such as a squeeze packer into a well.

Ah important object of this invention is to provide a tubing test toolwhich is adapted to be connected between a well packer or the like andthe tubing thereabove, wherebythetubing maybe pressure tested fordefects wheiiever desired prior to actuating said packers and thereafterthe' tubing test tool maybe manipulated to allow flow through the tubingin either direction.

A no'tl fer object of this invention is to provide a tubing test toolfor use in conjunction with a well packer or like, supported on a tubingstring, wherein the vtest tool has an inner mandrel within an outer bodywith a sealing n eans' therebetween to prevent the flow of fluid underpressure to the well packer during the testing of the tubing, andincluding a means to render the sealing newsman-swun to thereby allowthe flow of fluid through the well tubing in either direction.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features thereof. The invention will bemore readily understood from a readingof the following specification andby reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof,wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein: v t v Figurel is a diagrammaticview illustrating the useof the tubin g test tool ofthis invention" in conjunction with a w'ell packer. I Q v Figure2is avertical view, partly in section and partly invention inthe testingposition. v

' Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2,and illustrates the connection of the inner mandrel with the outer body.I .Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken. on line Iin'elevation, and illustrating the tubing test tool of this 7.

4-4 of Figure 2, and illustrates the relative positions of the latchmeans and the openings in the inner mandrel during the testingoperation.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, but illustrates the tubing testtool in its released position wherein the latch means is activated andfluid may pass through the outer body.

In the drawings, the letter P designates the well pipe or well casingwithin the well bore of an oil, gas, or water well. The tubing test toolA is connected at its lower end to a well pressure device such as thewell packer B, and at its upper end tothe tubing T which is composed ofnumerous stands or lengths of tubing which extend to the surface of theWell. As each stand or length of the tubing T is added to the stringduring the lowering of the test tool A and the packer B into the wellpipe P, the tubing may be tested by supplying fluid under pressurethrough a conventional construction located at the sur: face, wherebyeach section of the tubing which is added may be tested if desired.After the packer B has been lowered to the desired point in the wellpipe P, all of the tubing T will have been tested and the test tool isactuated to permit fluid to pass therethrough and thence through thepacker B to perform the usual cementing, acidizing or other similarpressure operations. Also after actuation a flow of fluid through thetubing in either direction may occur.

Referring now to Figure 2 therein can be seen the tubing test tool A ofthis invention in its testing position, This tubing test tool A has anouter elongate body 10 and an inner mandrel 11 which is movable intelescoping relationship with respect to saidbody; when in its fullytelescoped position, the mandrel is r'eleasably con,- nected to the body10 by means of a plurality of shear pins 12. As shown in the drawings,the outer body 1i) has a central section in which the inner bore 14 isof enlarged diameter as compared to the inner bore diameters of two endsections 15 and 16 of the outer body It As can be seen the end sections15 and 16 are threaded to the center sleeve of the outer, body 10, butthese sections 15 and 16 couldtbe integral therewith if so desired. p pI e The lower section ld has tool joint threads 17 thereon which areadapted to thread into a connecting collar on a well packer B. On theupper end of the inner mandrel 11 there is threaded a boX 18 which isadapted to be connected to the pin end of the tubing T. Thus, in theusual tubing test operation, the well packer will be, positioned belowthe tubing test tool A and the tubing P Will'be positioned thereabove asparticularly shown in Figure 1.

At the lower end of the bore 11-a of the inner mandrel 11, there islocated a one-way valve 20 which is dowriwardly closingwhen verticallypositioned as'sho wn iri Figure 2. Thisvalve 20 takes the form of a balland is enclosed in a cage21 thereabove. The ball 20 rests upon anannular valve seat 22 located above a fluid inlet opening 23 therebelow.As will be apparent from the drawings, the valve 20 will permit fluidsto pass upwardly through the opening 23 and into bore 11-0 of the innermandrel, but will not permit fluids to pass from the bore .11-A belowthe valve 20. 7 V

Due to the enlarged bore 14 of the outer'bo'dv 10at the central sectionthereof, 'a longitudinal and annular space 25 is formed between the wallof the enlarged bore 14 and the outer surface of the inner mandrel -11.The

I inner bore 11-a of the mandrel 11 communicates with ing position asshown in Figure 2 with the shear pins 12 holding the inner mandrel 11and the outerhody" 10 together, the fluidon the inside of the mandrel 11cannot pass outwardly through the body to the lower end of the body dueto the presence of seal rings 39 which are mounted in the lower end ofthe mandrel 11 at the outer surface thereof to provide a seal betweenthe inner mandrel 11 and the outer body 10. Similar seal rings 31 areprovided at the upper end of the body 19 on the inside surface -41 ofthe upper section 15. On the external surface of the inner mandrel 11there is formed a radially extending flange or flange segments 33 whichserve as a stop member when the mandrel 11 is unmoved to its extendedposition with respect to the outer body 10 as shown in Figure 5. Theupper surfaces 33a of the stop member 33 will abut the shoulder 34 onthe outer body 10 by reason of the enlarged bore 14 of the outer body10. The flange segments 33 are adapted to engage with longitudinalkeyways 36 which are formed in the wall of the bore of the outer body 13whereby rotation of the mandrel 11 with respect to said outer body isprevented. Mounted within the lower portion of the bore of the body 10,and within slots formed in the upper end of the reduced diameter section16 of the outer body 10 are the latch members 37. These latch members 37are pivoted on pivot pins 38 which extend across the slots and in thetest position, prior to the time that the pins 12 are sheared, the latcharms 37 are retained in a vertical non-latching position by reason oftheir engagement with the outer surface of the mandrel 11. However, whenthe mandrel 11 is moved to its extended position with respect to thebody 10 (Figure 5) and the lower end of the mandrel 11 reaches aposition above the latch arm 37, each spring 39 urges each latch arminto or toward the center of the inside of the outer body 10. Thisposition is best seen in Figure 5 and in that position the latch arms 37prevent the mandrel 11 from moving downwardly into the original fullytelescoped position shown in Figure 2.

In the operation of the test tool A, it is preferably connected as shownin Figure 1, with the well packer B therebelow. However, it will beappreciated that the test tool A could be used in conjunction with thetubing T thereabove in instances wherein the device such as the wellpacker B would be unnecessary. In positioning the tubing within the wellpipe P, with the tubing test tool A on the lower end thereof, the tool Ais initially in the position shown in Figure 2, that is, the outer body10 and the inner mandrel 11 are fully telescoped and are so held intheir telescoped position by the shear pins 12. This telescoped positionof the body 10 and the mandrel 11 may be referred to as the testingposition since the fluid under pressure which is admitted into the topsection of tubing at the surface in the conventional manner and with theconventional connections used in applying pressure through tubing, isprevented from passing downwardly through the testing tool by reason ofthe downwardly closing check valve 20 and the sealing means 30. Thus, inorder to test tubing located above the test tool A, fluid under pressureis supplied into the tubing and passes into the bore 11-a of the mandrel11, whereby a pressure may be built up in tubing.

As will be appreciated, thetesting of the tubing will be carried outprior to the time that the well packer B is set, and may be conducted asmany times and whenever desired during the adding of stands or sectionsof tubing to the string. After the packer B has reached the desireddepth within the well casing P, the packer B may be set by lifting itout of its J-shaped slots or by lifting up on the tubing T, dependingupon the type of packer B employed.

Thereafter, the shear pins 12 may be severed by lifting up on tubing Tto extend the mandrel 11 with respect to the outer body 10. Suchextension of the mandrel relative to the body moves the sealing means 30upwardly from the position shown in Figure 2 until the mandrel 11 isstopped by the abutment of the stop member or flange 33 with theshoulder 34. As can be seen in Figure 5, the sealing means 30 which hadpreviously been located between the mandrel 11 and the body 10, are

then released from their sealing position and are disposed within theenlarged bore 14 of the outer body 10, whereby fluid on the inside ofthe mandrel 11 may pass outwardly through the ports 26 into the space 25between the mandrel 11 and the body 10 for the discharge through thelower end of the body 10. When the well packer B is connected to thelower end of the body 10, such fluid would, of course, pass through thepacker B and the usual squeezing operation would be performed. The ports26 and annular space 25 form a by-pass passage around the downwardlyclosing valve 20 and thus after the inner mandrel has been extended thevalve 20 is, in effect, rendered inoperative to shut off downward flowand a free flow of fluid may thereafter occur through the tubing ineither direction.

When the mandrel 11 is extended with respect to the body 19 a sulficientdistance so that the lower end of the mandrel 11 is above the upper endof the latch arms 37, the spring 39 can then take effect and urge thearms 37 toward the center of the bore of the outer body 10, as shown inFigure 5. When the latching arms 37 are thus located in their latchingposition the mandrel 11 is prevented from returning to fully telescopedposition within the body 10 so that the communication between the insideof the mandrel 11 with the lower end of the outer body 10 is maintainedat all times to assure that fluid can pass below the testing tool A andthrough the tubing in either direction.

It is believed evident that a tool has been devised which is capable oftesting tubing by applying fluid pressure thereto at any point duringthese lowering operations of the tubing into the well pipe P.Additionally, this tool is of simple construction and operation andeliminates the necessity for removing the mechanism of the test toolprior to carrying out the squeezing operation with the well packer or inorder to permit the tubing to function in its usual manner as a flowconductor.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention isillustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the size,shape, and materials, as well as in the details of the illustratedconstruction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A tubing test tool adapted to be connected in a well tubing andlowered therewith into a well bore, said tool including, a pair oftubular members which are telescopically connected and which are movableto a telescoped position or to an extended position with respect to eachother, a downwardly closing valve means mounted in the bore of the innerone of said tubular members, said mem bers having a by-pass passagehaving one end communicating with the area above the valve means and itsopposite end communicating with the area below the valve means wherebysaid passage conducts fluid around the downwardly closing valve meanswhen the members are in an extended position with relation to eachother, and means on one of the members and adapted to engage the othermember to close the by-pass passage when the members are in telescopedposition relative to each other.

2. A tubing test tool adapted to be connected in a well tubing andlowered therewith into a well bore, said tool including, an outertubular body, an inner tubular mandrel telescopically connected with thebody and movable to either a telescoped position or to an extendedposition with respect to the body, a downwardly closing valve meanswithin the bore of the inner mandrel for shutting off downward flowthrough the mandrel, said mandrel and body having means for establishingcommunication between the area within the bore of the mandrel above thedownwardly closing valve means and the area below said valve means whenthe mandrel is in an extended position with respect to the body, wherebyfluid flow may by-pass around the valve means, and means operable by themovement of avaaoas the mandrel to its telescoped position relative tothe body for closing the communication establishing means.

3. A tubing test tool as Sti forth in claim 2, together with meansoperable when the mandrel is extended with respect to the body forlatching the mandrel in such position to prevent closing of thecommunication establishing means. i

4. A tubing test tool adapted to be connected in a well tubing andlowered therewith into a well bore, said tool including, an outertubular body, an inner tubular mandrel telescopically connected with thebody and movable either to a telescoped position or to an extendedposition with respect to the body, detachable means normally connectingthe mandrel to the body in telescoping position, a downwardly closingvalve within the inner tubular mandrel to shut off downward flowtherethrough, the mandrel and body having a by-pass passage formedtherein which passage has one end communicating with the area above thevalve and its other end communicating with the area below the valve forconducting fluid around the valve, said by-pass passage being closedwhen the mandrel and body are telescoped and being opened when thedetachable means is detached and the mandrel is extended with respect tothe body.

5. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 4, together with a latchmeans operable whenthe mandrel is extended for latching the mandrelagainst subsequent movement to its telescoping position.

6. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 4, wherein the detachablemeans comprises a frangible shear pin which initially connects themandrel to the body.

7. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 4, together withinterengaging means on the mandrel and body for non-rotativelyconnecting these parts.

8. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 4, together with releasableconnecting means connecting the inner and outer members in telescopedposition whereby said members may be loweredinto the well bore in suchposition to permit pressure testing of the tubing to be accomplished,said connecting means being releasable by manipulation of the tubing toallow the members to be moved to extended position, and a latch meansoperable when the members are extended for latching said members againstsubsequent movement to a telescoped position.

9. A tubing test tool adapted to be connected in a well tubing andlowered therewith into a well bore, said tool including, an outer bodyhaving'an axial bore which is reduced in diameter at its upper and lowerportion, an inner tubular mandrel telescopically connected with the bodyand having sliding engagement within the reduced portions of the body,said mandrel being disposed within the lower reduced portion of the boreof the body when said mandrel is telescoped and being movable in to thebore of the body above said lower reduced portion when extended, saidmandrel having a radial opening in its wall in communication with thebore of the body intermediate the upper and lower reduced portions ofsaid bore, whereby when the mandrel is extended with respect to the bodycommunication is established between the bore of the mandrel, throughthe bore of the body, and the area below the body, such communicationbeing shut oil. when the mandrel is within the lower reduced portion ofthe bore of the body, and a downwardly drel below the radial opening insaid mandrel;

10. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 9, together with sealingmeans betweenthe exterior of the inner mandrel and the walls of theupper and lower reduced portions of the bore of the body.

11. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 9, together with frangiblemeans normally connecting the inner mandrel with the body when saidmandrel is in a telescoped position with respect to the body.

12. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 9, together with a latchmeans mounted within the bore of the body and operable by movement ofthe mandrel to extended position for preventing subsequent movement ofthe mandrel to telescoped position.

13. A tubing test tool as set forth in claim 9, together with frangiblemeans normally connecting the inner mandrel with the body when saidmandrel is in a telescoped position with respect to the body, and latchmeans operable upon fracturing of the frangible means and movement ofthe mandrel to an extended position for preventing subsequent movementof the mandrel to 'having their lower ends in communication with thelower end of the bore of the tubing below the tool and the inner memberhaving communication with the bore of the tubing above the tool, adownwardly closing valve in the bore' of the inner tubular member, theouter member having the lower portion of its bore reduced and adapted toslidably receive the inner member, that portion of the bore of the outermember above the reduced portion being spaced from the exterior of theinner member to form a by-pass area which communicates with the tubingbelow the tool when the inner and outer members are in extended positionand the inner member is above the reduced portion of the bore of theouter member, said inner member having an opening in'its wall whichcommunicates with the by-pass area, whereby when the members are inextended position flow is established, through the opening and by-passarea, between the bore of the tubing above the valve and the bore of thetubing below the valve, and a sealing means on the inner memberpositioned to seal with the reduced portion of the bore of the outermember when the members are in telescoped position to thereby close otldirect communication between the by-pass area and the bore of the tubingbelow the tool.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,849,168 Brack Mar. 15, 1932 2,109,197 Humason Feb. 22, 1938 2,139,075Gates Dec. 6, 1938 2,540,322 Christensen Feb. 6, 1951 2,545,102 MillerMar. 13, 1951 2,610,691 Berry Sept. 16, 1952

